31 January 2007

The Nominees: Part I of VIII

I did thislastyear and I like how it turned out, so I'm going to do it again. There are more films this year (40 as opposed to last year's 35) and I've seen fewer (I had seen 81 by this time last year and this year I've seen a mere 67). Also, you should note that I have 34 films I'd like to see before I close the books on 2006, and so this list and especially the rankings remain in flux--since I know I'm seeing Marie Antoinette tomorrow evening and will doubtless see The Black Dahlia this weekend, etc., etc. At any rate, this is the first of eight planned entries, so from the top:

DREAMGIRLS

8 Nominations:

Best Supporting Actor: Eddie Murphy

Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Hudson

Best Costume Design: Sharen Davis (Ray)

Best Art Direction: John Myhre (last year's winner: Memoirs of a Geisha), Nancy Haigh (who also has a trophy, for Bugsy)

Best Sound Mixing

Best Original Song: "Listen" sung by Beyoncé Knowles and written by Henry Kreiger, Scott Cutler and Anne Preven

Best Original Song: "Love You I Do" sung by Jennifer Hudson and written by Henry Kreiger and Siedah Garrett

Best Original Song: "Patience" sung by Eddie Murphy & Anika Noni Rose and written by Henry Kreiger and Willie Reale

This movie was slated as the frontrunner for Best Picture by pundits and was thought to be the frontrunner for the big trophy on Oscar night but, alas, the film was not nearly as good as everyone predicted it would be and failed to get its predicted Best Picture nomination. Bill Condon also got snubbed as Best Director. The film failed for all sorts of reasons, but critics mostly agree that the film's stars, Beyoncé Knowles and Jamie Foxx, are the ones who really failed. Nevertheless, it looks pretty (much like last year's Memoirs of a Geisha) and got the most nominations of any film. Oscar was paying attention to this movie, but didn't particularly care for it.Will Win: Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Sound MixingMight Also Win: Best Art Direction, Best Original SongMy Rating:#34 out of 67

Everyone seems to think this film has prestige written all over it. It has some great movie-star-in-makeup-that-makes-me-look-ugly parts and is genuinely emotionally affecting if heavy-handed. The film has support across the board, though it may end up going home with nothing, like last year's Good Night, and Good Luck.Will Win: N/AMight Also Win: Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, Best Film Editing, Best Origina; ScoreMy Rating:#24 out of 67

Michael Sheen was totally robbed for a nomination. I also really loved Helen McCrory in this film. This is easily my favorite of the Best Picture nominees. As far as Oscar goes, I think for them this film is "The Helen Mirren Show" and not much more, a lot like last year's Capote.Will Win: Best Actress, Best Original ScoreMight Also Win: Best Original ScreenplayMy Rating:#9 out of 67

This is a horror film! The fact that it's doing so well with the Academy is a bit of an anomaly. Fantasy films occasionally do well--okay not that often. But that a horror film did this well is really shocking. These nominations surprised a lot of people, me included, but the film is excellent and I feel like the Academy really did something right here.Will Win: Best Foreign Language Film, Best Art Direction, Best MakeupMight Also Win: Best CinematographyMy Rating:#16 out of 67

THE DEPARTED

5 Nominations:

Best Picture

Best Director: Martin Scorsese (The Aviator, Gangs of New York, GoodFellas, The Last Temptation of Christ, Taxi Driver)

This movie is probably the most widely loved of all the candidates this year (as opposed to just generally supported). And the public loves this movie too. It made tons of money and boasts--bar none--the best acting ensemble of any film this year, in my opinion. Warner completely botched the marketing of this film, or you would see many more nominations than you do, including one for Best Actor, one for Cinematography, and an additional one for Best Supporting Actor. The performances in this movie are really outstanding. I expect this movie to take the big prize at the end of the night, but we all know that Best Picture is the most confusing it's been in forever, so who knows what will happen. let me just give one final shout out to the Academy for nominating the perennially underappreciated Mark Wahlberg. His was my favorite performance in the film and I was as excited as I've ever been on nomination morning to hear his name read. Now, if they could just get around to recognizing the brilliance that is Alec Baldwin...Will Win: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film EditingMight Also Win: N/AMy Rating:#30 out of 67